BY RICH PALZEWIC
SPORTS EDITOR
MADISON – Bay Port sophomore Jo Baranczyk has won the WIAA D1 girls’ state golf championship in dramatic fashion.
With a two-day total of 142 (2-under par) on the demanding University Ridge Golf Course in Verona Oct. 8-9, Baranczyk birdied the final hole on the second day to beat Emily Lauterbach from Arrowhead by a single stroke.
Baranczyk finished fifth last year as a freshman at the same course where she finished with a 10-over par 154.
“Being a state champ feels awesome,” said Baranczyk, who became the first area girls player to a win a WIAA golf state title since the tournament began in 1972. “It has been a goal of mine for a long time. I am happy with my 2-under par.”
Baranczyk said conditions on the course were very wet, but the temperature was a nice 80 degrees.
The talented sophomore trailed Lauterbach by three strokes coming into the last nine holes, but five birdies in her last 11 holes helped complete the comeback.
“The second day I started with a few three-putts, which was disappointing,” Baranczyk said. “I am very glad that I came back from that with a few birdies. The last putt for the win was 4 to 5 feet. I didn’t know that it was for the win until my group finished the last hole. I was nervous and shaking over the putt. I was so relieved that it went in.”
The Pirates finished ninth as a team, up one spot from last year’s 10th place.
Kettle Moraine won the team title by finishing eight strokes better than Middleton.
“Jo started slow each day at state, but once she settled in, she was in a zone,” said Bay Port head coach Jeff Johnsen. “She seemed to be in control of her shots the rest of each round. She has worked very hard to achieve her goal. Knowing that she probably needed a birdie to win, she smoothly drilled the putt. She was nervous, but you couldn’t tell. We have a lot of returning players and will look to build from that for next year and make another run to state.”
Avery Dudra (T45th – 179 total), Courtney Koeberl (T69th – 199), Madelyn Peters (75th – 211) and Abbey Beranek (77th – 216) rounded out the Bay Port lineup.
De Pere’s Ellie Schneider finished in a tie for 40th with her 31-over par score of 175.
Ashwaubenon’s Rylie Severson finished tied for 51st. After shooting an 84 on the first day, Severson struggled with a 97 day two. Her two-day total of 181 was 37-over par.